List of Daytona International Speedway fatalities

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The Daytona International Speedway has had numerous fatalities since it opened in 1959.

Many notable drivers and participants, including one of NASCAR's most notable drivers Dale Earnhardt, have been fatally injured during auto, motorcycle, and powerboat racing events at the track.

Driver Date Event Cause References
Marshall Teague February 11, 1959 Testing Test runs preparing for speed-record attempt in reconfigured Indycar with canopy, high-speed aerodynamic lift caused crash. [1][2]
George Amick April 4, 1959 USAC 100-mile race Crash at the exit of turn 2 and backstrech [1][2]
Dr. Bernie Taylor June 14, 1959 Powerboat race in infield lake [2]
Harold Haberling February 21, 1964 Daytona 500 practice [2]
Billy Drew Wade January 5, 1965 NASCAR Grand National tire test [1][2]
Don MacTavish February 21, 1969 Permatex 300 [2]
Wayne Harris Bartz March 12, 1969 Lightweight motorcycle race [2]
Talmadge "Tab" Prince February 19, 1970 Twin 125s [3][2]
Joe "Rusty" Bradley March 14, 1971 Daytona 200 [2]
David Pearl July 30, 1971 Paul Whiteman Trophy Race [2]
Friday Hassler February 17, 1972 Twin 125s [3][2]
Ricky Knotts February 14, 1980 Twin 125s [1][3][2]
Francis Affleck February 7, 1985 ARCA practice [2]
Dr. Charles Ogle December 26 1985 Stock car testing Died of injuries suffered December 15, 1985. [2]
Bruce Jacobi February 4, 1987 Twin 125s Died of injuries suffered during crash in February 1983. [2]
Joe Young February 13, 1987 Charlotte-Daytona Dash Series race [2]
James Kolman December 27, 1987 Kart testing [2]
Randy Glenn February 26, 1988 Motorcycle practice [2]
Don Williams May 21, 1989 Permatex 300 Died on injuries suffered in February 1979. [2]
Dale Robertson December 27, 1989 Daytona Kart Week race [2]
Julius Johnson (ARCA 200 race), Injured Feb. 11, 1990, Died Feb. 14, 1990 [2]
Joe Booher Florida 200 Dash race, Feb. 12, 1993
James Adamo (Daytona 200) March 7, 1993 [2]
Neil Bonnett (Daytona 500 qualifying practice) Feb. 11, 1994 [1][4][2]
Rodney Orr (Daytona 500 second-day qualifying practice) Feb. 14, 1994 [4][2]
Michael Himes International Motor Sports Association IMSA Showroom Stock sportscar event) Jan. 31, 1997
Roger Reiman (Motorcycle practice for a racing legends event) March 4, 1997
Dale Earnhardt Daytona 500 Feb. 18, 2001 Basilar skull fracture from crash in Turn 4 on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. [1][2][5]
Dirk Piz Daytona 200 March 11, 2001 [5]
Stuart Stratton (Fall Cycle Scene motorcycle event) Oct. 19, 2001 [5]
Michael Davis Jr. (Daytona Kart Week race) Dec. 30, 2001 [5]
Roy H. Weaver III (track worker, struck and killed by driver Ray Paprota during IPOWER Dash Series 150) Feb. 8, 2004. [5]
Bryan Cassell (Motorcycle practice, CCS/FUSA Fall Cycle Scene) October 18, 2005 [2]
Robert Boswell (Richard Petty Driving Experience) February 3, 2008 Heart attack when driving [6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Daytona: From the Birth of Speed to the Death of the Man in Black. Hinton, Ed. Warner Books, 2001. ISBN 0-446-52677-0.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Time Magazine article "The Last Lap", March 5, 2001
  3. ^ a b c Bill Fleischman/Al Pearce The Unauthorized NASCAR Fan Guide (1998-99), page 237. Visible Ink Press, 1999 ISBN 1-57859-111-2
  4. ^ a b Father of NASCAR crash victim Rodney Orr sues Web site over autopsy photos at Daytona Beach News-Journal
  5. ^ a b c d e Racing Related Deaths at Daytona at Orlando Sentinel website, complete through 2006
  6. ^ {{cite news /> | url =http://www.wesh.com/news/15210634/detail.html | title =Apopka Man Dies At Petty Driving Experience | publisher =WESH.com | date = 2008-02-04 | accessdate = 2008-02-04}}

[edit] External links